Revenge! The Old Kakashi!
by 13litz13last
Summary: Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke are sixteen now and travel with Kakashi to the land of the waves to guard Tazuna, while he rebuilds the Naruto Bridge. What happens when Kakashi stumbles upon a message of revenge at the old graves of Haku and Zabuza?
1. Chapter 1

This is a fanfic I also made a long time ago. It was long, so I cut it up into little pieces. And, no, it's not Kakasaku, though it might look that way at first.

--

Kakashi strolled down the streets of the land of waves. Nothing interested him as he crossed the town, pretty lonely and deserted. The Naruto Bridge had fallen recently, and he and the old squad had come to repair it again, just like the old days.

"They named it after me?" Naruto had hooted, sixteen-years-old. "Awesome! But…it dropped!"

"Yeah, it failed, just like you will." Sasuke had snorted. He sneered. "They should name it Uchiha instead!"

Sasuke was Sasuke, and Naruto was Naruto, even though they were much older than they had been in the beginning. Kakashi chuckled. Nothings different…except Sakura.

What was different about her? She had grown. A lot. Not much changed when men grow up, but women have tremendous changes.

Not that it worried him. She was a responsible girl.

The sky was cloudy, the off day from a week of guarding Tazuna. Kakashi was twenty-eight now, yet still as agile and powerful as ever, though he threw his back out recently. But still.

He noticed the orange jacket peeking from inside the alley up ahead. Another attempt to sneak up on him. He chuckled. Everyone was dying to catch him, surprise him, to think themselves powerful.

There was a rustling noise. Kakashi sensed chakra. It was Sasuke, crouching in a bush along the road. He turned and waved. "Hi, Sasuke."

Sasuke came out. "I'm not Sasuke," He said, grinning, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

That startled Kakashi. Am I really getting older?He wondered. He turned back to where Naruto had been, to see him racing up. He was more experienced now. It could be another clone.

"I got you!" He laughed, chuckling the trademarked way. "Be—"

"Don't you dare say it," Kakashi warned, stepping past him. He would lose it if Naruto said "Believe it!" One more time.

He slowly dropped behind, and suddenly Kakashi wondered where he was. He looked left and right. The village had dropped away, and there was only the foggy forest ahead.

He walked along the path, weary of more attacks. Through the woods, he realized this was the same place that Zabuza had attacked him and his squad years ago. He smiled. The river was coming, where he had battled him. He remembered the ice-ball trap, and how Naruto had deceived Zabuza. It still amazed him.

He also remembered Haku. The poor boy. He had such a bright future, being of that Kekkai Genkai.

He sat a the waters' edge, placidly running along as if he and the fog weren't around. He looked up. He couldn't see a thing. The fog was thickening.

How old am I getting, Kakashi wondered, that I'm forgetting to keep an eye out for these kinds of things?

No, he stopped himself, it isn't that. He was distracted. By what? His life. So many things had happened to him to make him reminisce, without thinking of other things first. He had too much to remember.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Cried a voice he knew was Sakura's. "It's time to go! You'll get lost!"

How did she know he was there? he wondered anxiously. Was I that obvious, that she knew I was there?

"Sakura, I'm here," he called, waving at the figure coming out of the fog.

"There you are, Sensei," Sakura said, sitting beside him. "You must be getting old."

He was shocked. "What makes you say that?"

"You didn't realize I'm Sasuke!" He laughed, and suddenly it wasn't Sakura but Sasuke.

"Yeah, I must be getting old, because you have the courage to trick me." He sighed.

"Very old," Sasuke said, dropping into smoke and turning into Naruto. "You need to get yourself together, Kakashi."

"I know, it's just…" He looked off into the distance, not looking at Naruto, or hoping it was Naruto. "So many things have happened to me, that…I can't stop thinking about the past."

Naruto nodded. "But, whenever you think of the past, realize what your doing. It's called watching what you think. Snap out of it the moment you realize it."

He nodded. "Thanks, Naruto." He patted his head. "I never thought I'd see the day you lectured me."

He laughed loudly, like he always did. "No problem, Sensei!"

So they stood and headed for Tazuna's house. They knocked, and Inari, the boy of twelve, answered. "Hey, Mr. Hatake!"

Kakashi laughed. "Yes, hello, Inari." He realized he looked overjoyed. "Why so happy?"

"He caught a fish with only his hands," His mother said plainly, sitting at the low table with Sakura and Sasuke.

"Yeah, and I'm going to keep it!" Inari giggled. "It's in my room in a bucket."

Kakashi nodded. He loved kids and how they were so happy over little things.

He sat down with Naruto and ate a meal of Chinese food. He bowed his head when he was done. "Thank you, Tazuna." The squad members did the same.

He smiled. He seemed to get older by the day, his wrinkles crinkling. "It's alright. Anything for my favorite Konoha ninja."

Naruto grinned. "Yup!"

Kakashi smiled. "Well, excuse me," He said, standing. "I'll be back later." He exited the room and out into the cold night. The wind enveloped his body, and he let it, feeling the coolness and enjoying it.

He stretched, cracking his back. "I am so old," He sighed, sitting on the dock and rocking his feet back and forth. The gentle waves hit the tips of his sandals. He enjoyed that, too. I _am _old! he thought wearily. I enjoy this sort of old people thing!

He heard someone coming, and turned to see Sakura coming toward him. He sighed. "You're not Naruto, are you?"

"No," Sakura laughed silently, sitting beside him. Her face caught the wind and she sighed. "I don't like saying 'believe it'. Want to hear my impression of Naruto?"

Kakashi nodded, smiling slightly.

"Believe it!" She cried out, sounding more like be-live that believe.

Kakashi couldn't help but laugh. "I suppose Naruto has a special way of doing it so it sounds more annoying, loud, and…annoying."

"Oh, please, Sensei." Sakura said. "Don't flatter him. I'm just as annoying."

Kakashi sighed, not as an answer to Sakura, but he had his mind on other things. Since when does Sakura admit she's annoying? A long time ago, she would have argued—

What was he thinking? He shook his head. Out of the past, Kakashi, and into the present. Wait, but now it's the future. Every second is towards the future! Then since when is present even a thing if present is not there, because it's the same as future since every second more is more future?

"Kakashi?" Sakura asked, concerned. "Are you ok? You look…deep in thought."

Kakashi nodded. "My head's stuck in the past, Sakura. Each time I see one of you, it reminds me of something you did do back when you were all on my squad." The gang wasn't a Genin squad anymore, since they were all Chunin and Kakashi still a Jonin. But they had all come into this mission because the people were dear to them and they wanted one more mission together. "And…this might be the last time we're all together again. You were my only squad, you know." He sighed. "Naruto wants to be Hokage, Sasuke wants revenge, and you're going to be a doctor. What am I? A Jonin who's getting too old for this. What'll happen when you go your separate ways, and we almost certainly won't meet again?"

"Kakashi," Sakura said seriously, "We all want to be Jonin, at least. I'm going to be a doctor when I'm a Jonin. Naruto has to be a Jonin before he's the Hokage, and Sasuke wants Jonin training too. We'll all be at your level, which means that we almost certainly _will _see you again. We won't forget you! You're a very close friend of ours now."

Kakashi was silent. He believed what she was saying, but it scared him slightly. Since when was he scared? Since he cared for something like a family. He didn't want to see his squadron hurt. They all had a tough road ahead. He had gone through it, he knew the trouble. They didn't. They didn't know what was ahead of them.

Sakura stood and walked back to the house. Before entering, she called, "Better get in, Sensei, before you get a cold!"

Colds aren't great for old people, Kakashi thought.

Kakashi woke to sunlight beaming through his window. His throat was sore from dry heat and his head aching.

He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. He was a light sleeper, so he knew he must be the only one awake in the house, judging from the sounds of snores in the nearby rooms.

Across his room, though, lay Naruto and Sasuke. They were boys, so they could sleep here, but Sakura had to sleep with Tazuna's daughter.

Naruto had that goofy dog hat on, and Sasuke seemed deep in a troubled sleep. He always seemed troubled in his sleep, like he was dreaming again of how his family was murdered. That must have been terrible for him.

Kakashi stood and stretched, scratching his bare chest. He quickly put on his clothes silently, hoping to get out into town before anyone could stop him.

He got out of the house while putting on his sandals. He felt like an eager child, not being sensible and sitting patiently to tie his shoes.

He walked through the short expanse of woods and into the town, which was for the most part also asleep. The shops were closed and the doors locked, so Kakashi walked without an interruption, past town and into the next woods.

He walked purposefully until he found what he was looking for. It was Zabuza's and Haku's graves.

He sat before them, looking at Zabuza's rusted sword. Thankfully, no one had come upon the sword and stolen it.

His eyes lingered on Haku's grave until he noticed the little bottle with a paper inside it, sitting against the wooden cross.

Curious, Kakashi leaned forward and plucked up the note. He thought suddenly that this was an invasion of privacy, but his curiosity was too much to contain.

He popped the cork on the top, suddenly wishing for a bottle of wine, which he hadn't had recently, and took out the small note. Unfolding it, he gasped at what he read.

_I will avenge you, Haku_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two. There will be a third and that's the end!

--

Kakashi raced back to the house, panting. The town wasn't filled up completely yet, but just enough for people to be in his way. So he jumped over rooftops, hoping none would get damaged. But this was an emergency.

He finally reached the woods and raced over the treetops, scattering birds. He jumped from the last and landed halfway along the planks to the house, hurting his legs. I really am too old for this, he reminded himself.

He dashed to the door and swung it open to reveal the family sitting and eating, with Naruto yawning.

"Kakashi!" Tazuna said, smiling, turning to him from the stove. He'd become quite a cook. One looked at his face and his smile fell. "What's going on?"

"Did Haku have any family? Friends besides Haku?" They seemed surprised that he was mentioning the boy, after so long. He hadn't come up in their conversations at all, which was a little odd since the last time they were there they had terrorized them.

"I don't think so," Inari said, knowing about Haku. He had actually researched about him in the library. "It said that he was the last of his clan and that all he had was Zabuza."

Kakashi explained the note. Everyone gasped. "So Naruto, Sasuke and I are in danger from this avenger," Kakashi said, noticing the twinkle in Sasuke's eyes when he said avenge, probably because he was an avenger himself.

"Why us? Didn't you kill him?" Naruto said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve as Kakashi sat at the table, sighing.

"Well, do you think they know that? No one was really there when it happened. If there was, and word spread, the story could get jumbled. But it was probable that Naruto, Sasuke and I are obvious answers since we were all involved in the battle and were capable of killing him. Sakura and Tazuna, and Zabuza were unlikely, because Sakura is a girl, and Tazuna is just a builder, and Zabuza had use for Haku." Then he added when Sakura glared, "No offense, Sakura, but you were kind of skittish when you were a kid. And most don't think girls are powerful." She just pouted.

They ate breakfast and asked each other what they think they should do.

"Well," Sasuke said, "Maybe we should act as if we don't know anything. That way we can spy without anyone thinking we know."

"Good idea," Kakashi agreed. "Best to make people think we don't have a clue. I taught you well!"

"Always how you were the best teacher," Sasuke muttered, staring out the window.

Kakashi laughed nervously. He was glad he had replaced the note before coming. Wait…

"Inari," Kakashi turned to the boy, who turned to him. "I have a mission for you, if you can handle it."

"I can!" He said eagerly, since he was almost done with the Ninja academy, and wanted to go on a mission though he was too young for actual ones.

"I want you to spy on the graves. But he careful! No one can see you, especially the Avenger." He named the person.

He nodded. "Can Sasuke come too?"

Sasuke turned lazily. "Me? Why me?"

"Because," Inari said eagerly, "You're the best at this!"

Sasuke grinned. "I know."

"Okay, Sasuke," Kakashi said, "Go with Inari and help him hide. You know what to do."

So they left, and Kakashi left also with Naruto, Sakura and Tazuna for the finishing of the bridge.

"I'd say we have about a week more to go before it's finished," Tazuna declared when they reached the bridge.

"Why did you need us to come?" Naruto asked. "I thought we didn't have to worry about Gato anymore." Gato was the evil man who had controlled the business in the land of the waves before the bridge had been built and Zabuza had killed him.

He smiled. "Well, still, there are greedy people here. Some would like to stop me from ruining their small businesses. And, now, with the Avenger."

Naruto nodded. They all sat down on a stack of wood by the edge, watching Tazuna and his men work. Tazuna did little manual labor. He mainly just overviewed the work and gave advice, along with his sketch of the bridge he had made for it.

Kakashi soon became tired. The fog hadn't let up, and it felt heavy on his shoulders. How could twenty eight be old? He wondered. For a ninja, maybe, because of his countless missions and the countless injuries he received. His body was definitely wearing down. But he wasn't ready to give up being a ninja: he had all his life before them, and it seemed meaningless if he couldn't protect his village. He wondered what his life would be like if he hadn't chosen to be a ninja: he probably wouldn't have such great friends.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Sasuke appear before him, at first sketchy from moving fast, as that happens in anime when they moved fast, (ha) but he blurred into focus immediately.

He seemed angry, but not nervous. He looked in back. "Where is Inari?" He mumbled softly. Then he turned to Kakashi. "Sensei." Kakashi raised his eyebrow. It wasn't often he called Kakashi a sensei, because he was too full of pride.

"Yes?" He asked, waiting to find out what the answer was to the mysterious Avenger.

"It's another one from his clan."

Kakashi nearly fainted. "What? Another member?"

Sasuke nodded as Inari was beside him. "Wait, I wanna tell!" Inari begged, so Sasuke let him finish.

They all sat and watched him, mesmerized. Happy with the attention, Inari rambled: "Well, so we reached the place and used tree-looking disguises and sat in the shadows. Then this guy came, he was around Haku's age when he was killed, and he had short black hair and wore blue robe things. He knelt before Haku's grave and said, 'Sensei, I'm so sorry. I should have saved you. I will avenge you and kill Kakashi once and for all! And if I can, all the rest of them, too!'"

Kakashi sighed. "Great, he's mainly after me. Haku must have mentored the kid when he was with Zabuza, but they never mentioned it…" Kakashi thought. "He doesn't know what he said to Naruto and all, probably, and now just wants revenge…we're in trouble. If he was mentored by Haku…"

Naruto groaned. "Wonderful!"

Sakura looked concerned. "Kakashi, will you be okay?"

Kakashi nodded. "I'm not _that _old, you know." Even though he didn't believe it himself.


	3. Chapter 3

He lied in bed, unable to sleep, though he was exhausted

He lied in bed, unable to sleep, though he was exhausted. Why had his life led up to this? Nothing before in his missions had led to something later, like revenge on him. He was truly sorry for killing Haku, too. His past was catching up with him again.

He recalled that day. When Kyuubi showed himself in Naruto, when Sasuke almost died, Haku and Zabuza and Gato died.

He looked over at the boys. Sasuke looked oddly peaceful, for once. He had his days. They looked so peaceful, so naïve, even. They had been even more so, before that day. They were inexperienced to death. Well, not so much Sasuke, who'd witnessed the death of his family by his only brother.

But now Sakura knew, too. She was skilled now, with medic things. She's a fine cherry blossom, Kakashi thought, laughing softly. But Naruto still seems like his stupid old self, even though Kakashi knew how much he hurt inside even now, his sad past. But he knew Gaara, the Kazekage of the sand village. He was also a Janchuuriki, a holder of a demon. He knew Gaara's pain. That might make it better, knowing your not alone. But he was no longer alone, Kakashi thought. He had wonderful friends, and friends who meant more than friends; family.

Kakashi's thoughts swirled, until they rested on the knowledge that he was being hunted by a member of a clan that was known for it's strength in water. To manipulate water. How depressing.

He waited in bed for morning, and suddenly fell off to sleep without realizing it. He also didn't realized he was being watched by the mist outside.

The fog wasn't clearing up at all.

Kakashi was asleep when everyone else got up, and they didn't bother to wake him. Instead, they all left with only Inari and his mother to watch over them.

He woke up with a start, from a nightmare, that he had just killed Obito, and Rin, too. He was disgusted with himself. His mouth was dry and he was sweating like a maniac.

He got up, dressed, and went downstairs to find he was alone. He ate quickly, hoping that he wouldn't be too late, since he wanted nothing to happen to his old squad.

Inari was on the deck when he came out. Inari noticed he was concerned.

"Still worried about your team?" He asked, keeping pace with the ninja while he went through the woods.

"So what if I am?" Kakashi asked, irritated at the child. What if something had happened while he was sleeping?

"You must have more faith in your teammates, Kakashi-sensei." Inari said, stopping short and letting him go on. Then he called after him, "Without trust, you can't be a real friend and ninja!"

Though he hated to admit it, Inari was right. Kakashi needed to trust Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura if ever he was to be a real shinobi and friend. But he was still worried. He felt he had more experience and knew what could go wrong.

He took a side path around the village and onto the bridge, to see it deserted.

Oh no, he thought. Oh, no.

He sniffed the air, which was heavy with fog. I'm so old! He punched himself mentally. I'm a Jonin, and I didn't notice the chakra in it?

He knew that none of his friends knew how to detect chakra from things that weren't living. But since this odd bloodline of Haku could manipulate water, was it so impossible that it's master could turn into a cloud himself?

He reached out with a mental hand. He realized that all his friends were under the bridge, even the workers. Whoever this was, they were quick and powerful to have even stopped Sasuke. But he turned faith onto them, and hoped they found a way to wriggle from the ropes, because he couldn't waste time helping them. He had to face this attacker.

He walked slowly along the bridge, hoping to see something that would tell him where and who the attacker was.

He leisurely leaned against the metal post, hoping to seem unafraid and self-confident in himself. He wasn't, though, actually; he was scared half to death, not for himself so much but for his teammates.

He didn't want them to die.

A figure materialized in front of him. He blinked, to see a teen before him, wearing a blue robe like Haku, with an ANBU mask resembling a tiger. On his back there was a large scroll.

"Kakashi Hatake," the figure said, in a deep voice. Suddenly the voice lightened, and it was a girl. "Hiya!"

Kakashi looked up sharply. A girl? A very strong girl, apparently, who could play to be a boy. Just like Haku looked like a girl at first, Kakashi thought sadly. She apparently knew that Sasuke and Inari were there, so she acted to be a boy. Why hadn't they told him of the mask? Maybe she wasn't wearing it then. In any case, it was quite a clever girl in front of her.

The fog loosened, as if in letting her go a part of it was missing. "Now, I suppose you noticed my note." Kakashi nodded and said nothing. "Well, I knew you'd go, because I know your that kind of person." She laughed when Kakashi looked at her quizzically. "I know more about you than you think. Don't ask how."

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Before you do anything," He said, "I just want to say, I didn't want to hurt Haku. She got in the way of my attack. I wouldn't have hurt him—"

"Liar!" She screamed suddenly, and Kakashi winced, amazed at her reaction. She continued. "Haku was my brother! He was so kind! You killed him on purpose after you slaughtered Zabuza!"

"Girl, I'm sorry, but I didn't—"

"Yes, you did! Everyone knows!"

Kakashi sighed. "That's not what I did—"

"Shut up!" She yelled, rushing forward angrily. Kakashi saw Naruto in her eyes. A demon within, almost. Stunned, Kakashi jumped to avoid the cut of a dagger. Naruto was also headstrong. Was there a demon in her too? Shouldn't he have known?

He landed a few yards away, and she turned to face him. She wasn't fazed, just like Naruto wouldn't have been. Her blue eyes deepened, and her hair wildly full of static. There was a crackling noise, and she fell to the floor, breathing deeply.

Kakashi panicked. She had to be summoning her demon, whatever it was. He had to get his team members.

He raced to the side of the bridge and plunged down, grabbing the rails and using the cement ground for a foothold as he maneuvered his way to the end of the bridge, which wasn't far, and dropped down on the sandy bank where Naruto and Sakura were.

He untied them hurriedly and commanded them to find the others. So they searched, and became aware of the chakra in the air building.

They found the others and set them all free. They told Tazuna and the workers to run somewhere safe.

Then they raced up onto the bridge. The kids asked no questions, they knew the girl was there and was very powerful.

They raced up the bridge towards her. She was still there, a wall of protective blue chakra enveloping her. Suddenly a beam of light flew upwards and when it ended, there was the girl, standing upright with glowing blue eyes and blue hair running to her knees. She took a fighting stance, her mouth crooked in evil pleasure. "All of them!" She said in a demonic voice. "Perfect!"

"Kakashi," Naruto said over the crackling noise of static coming from the girl, "Do you think she had a demon, like me?"

"Yes, Naruto." Kakashi said.

"Then we can't kill her."

Kakashi nodded, realizing this was true. How were they to defeat her? Kakashi barked at his teammates not to kill her, but capture her or render her unconscious.

The girl only laughed devilishly and ran forward to attack.

Kakashi jumped back, since she had gone solely for him. The kids jumped too, landing in locations all around.

Kakashi soon lost sight of them as he dodged swift attacks from the girl. He noticed a black line running from her chin to her forehead, and another from the end of the eye to the other, curling near the ears.

"My mark," she said simply in that dark voice. "Haku didn't have it, because she didn't have the Perturanoi demon in him!"

Suddenly, she was cast aside by a red glowing form Kakashi made out to be Naruto in his demon form. He was growling and spitting, slashing at the girl's face.

"Stop! Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, tackling Naruto down and away from the girl long enough for Sakura to knock her unconscious with a soft blow to the head. She tied her up then, and they watched as her face slowly came to a normal state.

They heard whimpering. They turned to see Naruto on the ground, wiping his eyes. He was normal again, instead of being possessed by the Kyuubi. "A Janchuuriki gone wrong," he stated sadly.

Kakashi nodded slowly. "How did no one know of his sister, anyway?" Kakashi asked them, astounded. "How could we not have known? I mean, she's a Janchuuriki! Wouldn't we even have known of the demon? When I researched them, none said that there was a girl in the land of waves holding some sort of demonic creature."

They shrugged. Sasuke sighed. "Well, that's our second battle on this bridge. Because, technically, it's the same bridge."

Naruto nodded. Sakura started to cry. "The poor girl," she said quietly.

The boys looked at her, not saying anything. "Sakura," Sasuke scolded. "No emotion, remember?"

Sakura shook her head. "Oh, I know. But it's not doing the girl a right, not to be emotional for her. She deserves it. We killed her brother."

"It was an accident," Kakashi reminded her weakly. "I didn't kill him, really."

Sakura nodded. "I know. But if you believed someone had killed your brother, wouldn't you react the same?"

"Yea," Sasuke laughed bitterly. "Someone killed him before I could."

They all chuckled slightly.

After a moment, Sasuke said, "So, we should do something, right?"

"But what?" Kakashi asked, unsure. "What are we supposed to do with her?"

"Send her away, I suppose," Naruto suggested. "She'd a threat. Or…extract the demon."

Kakashi shook his head. "That would kill her. We can't just…kill her."

"Then what?" Sasuke asked irritably. "Just leave her to be a threat to the village? Kill her so the demon comes out? Extract it? Take her in?"

Kakashi smiled broadly at the last one. "Maybe we could convince her that you're nice people. She'll probably never trust me, but maybe one of you. Maybe she could grow up with Tazuna."

They agreed. "Excellent idea, Kakashi-sempai." Sakura smiled.

"Yea, Mr. Hatake!" Said Naruto cheerfully.

"Way to go, Sensei." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whoop-de-doo."

They went home, and convinced Tazuna to take the girl in. They decided she could become great and right if they could.

"I guess we should leave, then, if that's the case," Sasuke said. He kicked a stone. "She'd never accept us. Maybe you could get other ninja to complete the bridge."

Tazuna nodded sadly. "Maybe your right."

So they left the village, and went to the bridge after saying good-bye to the shrines of Zabuza and Haku.

While they were at the shrines, though, and the kids were already walking away, Kakashi kneeled down before Haku's grave.

Leaves started to fall around him, and he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Haku." He said, touching the cross as a tear fell down his cheek. "I'll make sure your sister, whoever she may be, is in good hands."

With that, he followed them to the bridge.

They crossed the bridge easily, since the rails were already set down so all they had to do was skip along them without falling into the roiling waters. Tazuna appeared at the end of the bridge, staring off at them.

"That's the second time they did something good for someone or something in this land," He said, laughter in his eyes. "I suppose we should name the bridge for them. How about, Avenger Bridge?" The name didn't settle. "Sasuke? Sakura? Uchiha? Haruno? Uzumaki?" He grinned, then, knowing which one it would be.

"Konoha's Best Ninja."


End file.
